THE LAST OF THE REDMAYNES
For the night immediately following Doria's experience at the old
shrine, Albert Redmayne and his friend, Virgilio Poggi, had accepted
Mark Brendon's invitation to dine at the Hotel Victoria, where he
still stayed. Ganns was responsible for the suggestion, and while he
knew now that Giuseppe might view the festivity with suspicion, that
mattered but little at this crisis.
His purpose in arranging to get Albert Redmayne away from home on
this particular night was twofold. It was necessary that Peter
himself should see Mark Brendon without interruption; and it was
vital that henceforth his friend, the old book lover, should never
for an instant lie within the power of any enemy to do him ill. In
order, therefore, that he might enjoy private conversation with
Brendon and, at the same time, keep a close watch upon Albert, Ganns
had proposed the dinner party at the hotel and directed Brendon to
issue the invitation as soon as Redmayne returned home.
Wholly unsuspicious, Signor Poggi and Albert appeared in the glory
of soft white shirt fronts and rather rusty evening black. A special
meal was prepared for their pleasure and the four partook of it in
a private chamber at the hotel. Then they adjourned to the
smoking-room, and anon, when Poggi and his companion were deep in
their all-sufficing subject, Peter, a few yards distant with Mark
beside him, related the incident of Giuseppe's ghost.
"You did the trick to a miracle," he said. "You're a born actor, my
son, and you came and went and got away with it just as well as
mortal man could wish, and far better than I hoped. Well, Doria was
fine. We stung him all right, and when he saw and thought he
recognized the real Robert Redmayne, it got him in the solar
plexus--I'm doggone sure of that. For just a moment he slipped, but
how could he help it?
"You see the beauty of his dilemma. If he'd been straight, he'd have
gone for you; but he wasn't straight. He knew well enough that _his_
Robert Redmayne--the forgery--wasn't on the war-path to-night; and
when I said I saw nothing, he pulled himself together and swore he
hadn't either. And the next second he realized what he had done! But
too late. I had my hand on my shooting iron in my pocket after that,
I can tell you! He was spoiling to hit back--he is now--he's not
wasting to-night. But all that matters for the moment is that we've
put a crimp on him and he knows it."
"He may be off before you return to the villa."
"Not he. He's going to see this thing through and finish his job, if
we don't prevent it. And he won't waste any more time either. He's
been playing a game and amusing himself--with us and Albert
yonder--as a cat with a mouse. But he won't play any more. From
to-night he's going for all three of us bald-headed. He's mad with
himself that he was foolish enough to delay. He's a wonder for his
age, Mark; but a man, after all--not a superman."
"What happened exactly, and how does he stand to what he saw?"
"Can't swear, but I figure it like this. I watched very close with
what I call my third eye--a sort of receiver in my brain that soaks
up what a man's thinking and draws it out of him. For the first
moment he was nonplussed, lost his nerve and may even have believed
he saw a spirit. He cried out, 'It's Robert Redmayne!' and
instantly asked me if I'd seen him too. I stared and said I'd seen
nothing at all, and then his manner changed and he laughed it off
and said it was only a shadow cast by the shrine. But, on second
thoughts, he knew mighty well it was no shadow, and presently he
fell a bit silent, thinking hard, while I just chatted about
nothing, as I'd done from the start of our walk. I'd pretended to
take him into my confidence, you see, and I heard from him just
exactly what I thought he was going to tell me--that you were in
love with his wife; that he had no more use for her; that she knew
all about the red man, and so on.
"Now what passed in his mind? He must have come to one of two
possible conclusions. Either he suspected that he had been the
victim of hallucination and seen a freak of his own imagination,
and believed me when I said I had seen nothing; or else he did not.
If he had taken it that way, there was nothing more to be said and
nothing to worry about as far as I was concerned. But he didn't take
it that way and, on second thoughts, he didn't believe me. He knew
very well indeed that he was not the sort of person who sees ghosts;
he remembered that you'd been away at Milan for a couple of days and
he tumbled to it, the moment his wits cleared, that this was a
frame-up between me and you to surprise something out of him. And he
knew I had got exactly what I wanted, when he swore that he'd seen
nothing, after all.
"And that's where he stands now. And he's going to be busy in
consequence; but we've got to be busier. What he and his accomplice
propose to do is to destroy Albert Redmayne--in such a way that they
are not associated with his death; and what they will do, if we let
them, is to act as they have already acted in England. Albert would
disappear--and we might or might not be invited to look upon his
blood; but we shouldn't see him. Como is the grave they probably
mean for him."
"You'll go for Doria straight, then?"
"Yes. He's making his plans at this moment, just as we are, and it's
up to us to work our wonders so they'll tumble in ahead of his. You
see that? There's two of us and two of them, and the next move must
be ours, or they'll checkmate our king all right. We've got this
great advantage; that Albert is at our beck and call, not theirs;
and while he remains safe, our stock's good. Master Giuseppe knows
that; but he also suspects that he's no longer safe himself; so he's
probably going to take some chances in the next twenty-four hours."
"Everything centres on the present safety of Mr. Redmayne?"
"It does; and we must watch him like a pair of hawks. To me the most
interesting aspect of this case is the personal factor that has
spoiled it for the master criminal. And the factor is vanity--an
overmastering, gigantic, yet boyish vanity, that tempted him to
delay his purpose for the simple pleasure of playing, first with you
and then with me. It's himself that has given him away; there's
mighty little credit to us, Mark. His own pride of intellect has
thrown him. If he can win out now I'll forgive the scamp."
"To you all credit--if you are right in what you believe; to me
certainly none from first to last," answered Brendon gloomily. "And
yet," he added, "you may be mistaken. A man's convictions are not
easily uprooted; love is not always blind, and still I feel that,
even if I have lost my reputation, I may win something better--after
the tale is told."
Ganns patted his arm kindly.
"Hope no such thing, I beg you," he said. "Fight your hope, for it
will soon prove to be based on a chimera--on something that doesn't
and never did exist. But your reputation is another matter and I
pray you won't feel so ready to let a fine record go down the wind
this time to-morrow."
"To-morrow?"
"Yes; to-morrow night the bracelets go on him."
Peter then indicated his purpose.
"He'll not guess we're moving quite so quickly and, by so doing, we
anticipate his stroke. That, at least, is what I mean to attempt
with your help, if possible. To-night and to-morrow morning I keep
beside Albert; then you must do so; because, after lunch, I have a
meeting with the local police down the lake at Como. The warrant
will be waiting for me and I shall return after dark in one of the
little black boats of the doganieri. We shall come up with lights
out and land at the villa.
"Your part will be to keep Albert in sight and watch the others.
Doria will probably believe my excuse for going down to Como isn't
true, and he is therefore likely to jump at the opportunity to get
on with it. There's just a chance of poison. I don't like to get
Albert across to Poggi, because there he would be much easier to
tackle than here."
"He's awake to the critical situation?"
"Yes, I've made it clear. He's promised not to eat or drink
anything, except what I bring home with me to-night from here. Our
game is that he'll be indisposed to-morrow and keep his private
rooms. He'll pretend that he's done himself too well with you
to-night. I shall be with him--I don't sleep to-night, but play
watch-dog. To-morrow his breakfast will go away untouched--and mine
also. We shall then partake of the secret food.
"After noon it's up to you. I can't say what Doria will do; but you
mustn't give him the chance to do anything. If he wants to see
Albert, use your authority and tell him he cannot do so until I
return. Put the blame on me; and if he's wicked use your iron."
"He may, of course, bolt when he knows the game is up," said Mark.
"He may be off already."
"Not he," answered Peter. "It's contrary to reason to suppose he'll
guess that I can possibly know what I know. He underrates me far too
much to give me credit for that. He won't beat it; he'll bluff
it--till too late. I don't fear to lose him; I only fear to lose
Albert."
"Trust me that far."
"I'm going to. And I want to plan a little surprise of some sort, so
that Albert unconsciously helps us. We can't ask him to do anything
cute himself; he's not built that way; but he's the king to be
guarded and if the king makes an unexpected move, much may be
gained. We've got to be alive to a dozen possibilities. If, for
instance, poison is attempted and found to fail--"
"How if we gave it out that it had succeeded and that Mr. Redmayne
pretended he was mighty ill an hour after breakfast?"
"I'd thought of that. But the difficulty would be that we shan't be
in a position to say if poison is really used. No time for
chemistry."
"Try it on the cat."
Peter considered.
"A double cross is often a very pretty thing," he admitted, "but
I've seen too many examples among the police of digging a pit and
falling in themselves. One difficulty is that we don't want to alarm
Albert more than necessary. At present he only knows that I think
him in danger; but he has not the most shadowy idea that members of
his own household are implicated. He won't know it till I forbid him
to touch his breakfast. Yes; we can certainly try a double cross. He
shall order bread and milk--we know who will bring it to him. Then
his cat, 'Grillo,' shall breakfast upon it." Peter turned to Mark.
"That will convince you, my friend."
But the other shook his head.
"It depends upon circumstances. Even granted poison, many an honest
man and woman has been the innocent tool of a murderer's will."
"True enough; but we are wasting time upon an improbability. I do
not myself think it will be attempted. It is the line of least
resistance and the line of least resistance generally means the
lines of greatest risk afterward. No--he'll do something smarter
than that if he gets half a chance. The grand danger would be that
Doria should find himself alone with Albert, even for a moment. That
is the situation to circumvent and avoid at any cost. Let nothing
induce you to lose sight of one or other; and even should Doria
obviously make a run for it before I return, don't be deceived by
that, or go after him. He may adopt any ruse to get you guessing
when I have gone--that is, if he suspects me of some immediate step.
But if I go without leading him to feel any very grave suspicion as
to my object in going, we may surprise him before his own stroke is
struck. That, in a word, is our objective."
An hour later the detectives saw Signor Poggi to his boat and then
walked home with Mr. Redmayne. Peter had provender concealed about
his person and presently he explained to his friend that things were
now come to a climax.
"In twenty-four hours I hope we're through with our mysteries and
plots, Albert," he said; "but during that time you've got to obey me
in every particular and so help me to set you free from this
abomination hanging over you. I can trust you; and you must trust me
and Mark here till to-morrow night. You'll soon be at peace again
with your troubles ended."
Albert thanked Ganns and expressed his satisfaction that a
conclusion was in sight.
"I have seen through the glass darkly," he told them. "Indeed I
cannot say that I have seen through the glass at all. I am entirely
mystified and shall be glad indeed to know this horror with which I
am threatened may be removed. Only my absolute trust in you, dear
Peter, has prevented me from becoming distracted."
At the villa Brendon left them and Jenny welcomed her uncle. The
girl begged Mark to come in for a while before returning; but it was
late and Mr. Ganns declared that everybody must retire.
"Look us up early, Mark," he directed. "Albert tells me there are
some old pictures at Como that have got a lot of kick in them. Maybe
we'll all go down the lake for a pleasure party to-morrow, if he
thinks it good."
For a moment Brendon and Jenny stood alone before he departed; and
she whispered to him.
"Something has happened to Doria to-night. He is struck dumb since
his walk with Mr. Ganns."
"Is he at home?"
"Yes; he went to bed many hours ago."
"Avoid him," answered Mark. "Avoid him as far as possible, without
rousing his suspicion. Your torments may be at an end sooner than
you think for."
He departed without more words. But he presented himself early on
the following day. And it was Jenny who first saw him. Then Peter
Ganns joined them.
"How is uncle?" asked Mr. Redmayne's niece, and Albert's friend
declared the old book lover found himself indisposed.
"He kept it up a bit too late last night at the hotel and drank a
little too much white wine," said Peter. "He's all right but feeling
a trifle like next morning. He'll stop where he is for a spell and
you can take him up a biscuit and a hair of the dog that bit him
presently."
Ganns then announced his intention of going later to the town of
Como, and he invited Doria and Brendon to accompany him; but Mark,
already familiar with the part he had to play, declined, while
Giuseppe also declared himself unable to take the trip.
"I must make ready to return to Turin," he said. "The world does not
stand still while Signor Pietro is catching his red man. I have
business, and there is nothing to keep me here any longer."
He appeared indifferent to the rest of the company and lacked his
usual good humour; but the reason Brendon did not learn until a
later hour.
After luncheon Mr. Ganns set off--in a white waistcoat and other
adornments; Giuseppe also left the villa, promising to return in a
few hours; and Brendon joined Albert in his sleeping apartment. For
a time they were alone together and then came Jenny with some soup.
She stopped to chat for a little while and, finding her uncle
apparently somnolent and disinclined to talk, turned to Mark and
spoke under her breath. She was still agitated and much preoccupied.
"Later, when we may, I should like to speak to you--indeed I must do
so. I am in great danger myself and can only look to you," she
whispered. Combined fear and entreaty filled her eyes and she put
her hand upon his sleeve. His own caught it and pressed it. He
forgot everything before her words. She had come to him at last of
her own free will.
"Trust me," he answered, so that only she could hear. "Your welfare
and happiness are more to me than anything else on earth."
"Doria will be out again later. Once he has gone--after dusk--we
can safely speak," she answered. Then she hastened away.
Albert Redmayne stirred himself as soon as Jenny withdrew. He was
dressed and lying on a couch beside the window.
"This subterfuge and simulation of ill health are most painful to
me," he declared. "I am exceeding well to-day and all the better for
our delightful dinner of last night. For nobody less than dear Peter
would I ever sink to pretend anything: it is contrary to my nature
and disposition so to do. But since I have his word that to-day
light is going to be thrown upon all this doubt and darkness I must
possess my soul in patience, Brendon. There are dreadful fears in
Peter's mind. I have never known him to be suspicious of good people
before. He will not let me eat and drink in my own house to-day!
That is as much as to say that I have enemies within my gates. What
could be more distressing?"
"A precaution."
"Suspicion is inconceivably painful to me. I will not harbour
suspicion. When suspicion dawns in my mind, I instantly throw over
the cause of the suspicion. If it is a book, however precious it may
be, I drop it once for all. I will not be tormented by doubts or
suspicions. In this house are Assunta and Ernesto, my niece and her
husband. To suspect any of those excellent and honourable people is
abominable and I am quite incapable of doing so."
"Only a few hours. Then, I think, all but one will be exonerated.
Indeed I'm sure of it."
"Giuseppe appears to be the storm centre in Peter's mind. It is all
beyond my understanding. He has always treated me with courtesy and
consideration. He has a sense of humour and perceives that human
nature lacks much that we could wish it possessed. He feels rightly
toward literature, too, and reads desirable authors. He is a good
European and is the only man I know, save Poggi, who understands
Nietzsche. All this is in his favour; and yet even Jenny appears to
regard Giuseppe as wholly ineffectual. She openly hints that she is
disappointed in him. I know what may go to make a man; but am, I
confess, quite ignorant of what goes to make a husband. No doubt a
good man may be a bad husband, because the female has her own
marital standards; yet what she wants, or does not want, I cannot
tell."
"You like Doria?"
"I have had no reason to do otherwise. I trust that this unhappy
brother of mine--if, indeed, he is what you all think and not an
air-drawn vision projected by your subconscious minds--may soon be
laid by the heels--for his own sake as much as ours. I will now read
in 'The Consolations of Boethius'--last of the Latin authors
properly so called--and smoke a cigar. I shall not see Giuseppe. I
have promised. It is understood that I am an invalid; but he will
certainly be hurt that I deny myself to him. The man has a heart as
well as a head."
He rose and went to a little bookshelf of his favourite authors.
Then he buried himself in Boethius, and Mark, looking out of the
window, saw the life of the lake and the glory of the summer sky
reflected. Beyond the shining water Bellagio's towers and cypresses
were massed under a little mountain. From time to time there sounded
the beat of paddle wheels, as the white steamers came and went.
* * * * *
Doria returned for a while during the afternoon, and Jenny told him
that her uncle was better but still thought it wise to keep his
room. Her husband appeared to have recovered his good temper. He
drank wine, ate fruit and addressed most of his conversation to
Brendon, who spoke with him in the dining-room for a while.
"When you and Mr. Ganns are weary of hunting this red shadow, I hope
you will come and see me at Turin," he said. "And perhaps you will
also be able to convince Jenny that my suggestions are reasonable.
What is money for? She has twenty thousand pounds upon her hands and
I, her husband, offer such an investment as falls to the chance of
few capitalists. You shall come and see what my friends and I are
doing at Turin. Then you will make her think better of my sense!"
"A new motor car, you told me?" asked Mark.
"Yes--a car that will be to all other cars as an ocean 'liner' to
Noah's Ark. Millions are staring us in the face. Yet we languish for
the modest thousands to launch us. The little dogs find the hare;
the big dogs hold him."
Jenny said nothing. Then Doria turned to her and bade her pack his
clothes.
"I cannot stop here," he said when she had gone. "This is no life
for a man. Jenny will probably remain with her uncle. She is fed up,
as you say, with me. I am very unfortunate, Marco, for I have not in
the least deserved to lose her affection. However, if a new
inamorato fills her thoughts, it is idle for me to yelp. Jealousy is
a fool's failing. But I must work or I shall be wicked!"
He departed and Brendon joined Albert Redmayne, to find the old man
had grown uneasy and fearful.
"I am not happy, Brendon," he said. "There is coming into my mind a
cloud--a premonition that very dreadful disasters are going to
happen to those I love. When does Ganns return?"
"Soon after dark, Mr. Redmayne. Perhaps about nine o'clock we may
expect him. Be patient a little longer."
"It has not happened to me to feel as I do to-day," answered the
book lover. "A sense of ill darkens my mind--a suspicion of
finality, and Jenny shares it. Something is amiss. She has a
presentiment that it is so. It may be, as she suspects, that my
second self is not happy either. Virgilio and I are as twins. We
have become strangely and psychologically linked together. I am sure
that he is uneasy on my account at this moment. I am almost inclined
to send Ernesto to see if all be well with him and report that all
is well with me."
He rambled on and presently went out upon his balcony and looked
across to Bellagio. Then he appeared to forget Signor Poggi for a
time and presently ate a little of the store of food brought back in
secret by Mr. Ganns on the previous night.
"It is a grief to me," he said again, "that Peter fears treachery
under this roof. Surely God is all powerful and would not suffer my
interesting and harmless life to be snatched away from me by poison?
I shall be very thankful when Peter leaves his horrid profession and
retires and devotes his noble intellect to purer thoughts."
"What became of the soup, Mr. Redmayne?"
"'Grillo' drank every drop and, having done so, my beautiful cat
purred a grace after meat, according to his custom, then sank into
peaceful slumber."
Mark looked at the great blue Persian, who was evidently sleeping in
perfect comfort. It woke to his touch, yawned, spread its paws,
purred gently and then tucked itself up again.
"He's right enough."
"Of course. Jenny tells me that her husband returns to Turin
to-morrow. She, however, will stop here with me for the present. It
may be well if they separate for a while."
They talked and smoked, while Mr. Redmayne became reminiscent and
amused himself with memories of the past. He forgot his present
disquiet amid these recollections and chatted amiably of his
earliest days in Australia and his subsequent, successful career as
a bookseller and dealer.
Jenny presently joined them and all entered the dining-room
together, where tea was served.
"He will be going out soon now," whispered Albert's niece to
Brendon; and he knew that she referred to her husband. Mr. Redmayne
still declined to eat or drink.
"I did both to excess yesterday," he said, "and must rest my
ill-used stomach until to-morrow."
He was chiefly concerned with Doria and had prepared for him various
messages to bookmen in Turin. They sat long and the shadows were
lengthening before the old man returned to his apartments. Then
Giuseppe made a final and humorous appeal to Mark to influence Jenny
in favour of the automobiles and presently lit one of his Tuscan
cigars, took his hat and left the house.
"At last!" whispered Jenny, her face lighting in relief. "He will be
gone for a good two hours now and we can talk."
"Not here, then," Mark answered. "Let us go into the garden. Then I
can see when the man comes back."
They proceeded into the gathering dusk and presently sat together on
a marble seat under an ilex, so near the entrance that none might
arrive without their knowledge.
Presently Ernesto came and turned on an electric bulb that hung over
the scrolled iron work of the outer gate. Then they were alone
again, and the woman threw off all shadow of reserve and restraint.
"Thank God you can listen at last," she said, then poured out a
flood of entreaties. He was swept from every mental hold, drowned
in the torrent of her petitions, baffled and bewildered at one
moment, filled with joy in the next.
"Save me," she implored, "for only you can do so. I am not worthy of
your love and you may well have ceased to care for me or even
respect me; but I can still respect myself, because I know well
enough now that I was the innocent victim of this accursed man. It
was not natural love that made me follow him and wed him; it was a
power that he possesses--a magnetic thing--what they call the 'evil
eye' in Italy. I have been cruelly and wickedly wronged and I do not
deserve all that I have suffered, for it was the magic of hypnotism
or some kindred devilry that made me see him falsely and deceived
and drove me.
"From the time my uncle died at 'Crow's Nest' Doria has controlled
me. I did not know it then, or I would have killed myself rather
than sink to be the creature of any man. I thought it was love and
so I married him; then the trick became apparent and he cared not
how soon my eyes were opened. But I must leave him if I am to remain
a sane woman."
For an hour she spoke and detailed all she had been called upon to
endure, while he listened with absorbed interest. She often touched
Brendon's shoulder, often clasped his hand. Once she kissed it in
gratitude, as he promised to dedicate every thought and energy to
her salvation. Her breath brushed his cheek, his arm was round her
as she sobbed.
"Save me and I will come to you," she promised. "I am hoodwinked
and deceived no longer. He even owns the trap and laughs horribly at
me by night. He only wants my money, but thankfully would I give him
every penny, if by so doing I could be free of him."
And Brendon listened with a rapture that was almost incredulous; for
she loved him at last and desired nothing better than to come to him
and forget the double tragedy that had ruined her young life.
She was in his arms now and he sought to soothe her, sustain her and
bring her mind to regard a future wherein peace, happiness and
content might still be her portion. Another hour passed, the
fireflies danced over their heads; sweet scents stole through the
garden; lights twinkled from the house; on the lake in the silence
that now fell between them they heard the gentle thud of a steamer's
propeller. Still Doria did not return and as a church clock struck
the hour Jenny rose. Already she had knelt at his feet and called
him her saviour. Now, still dreaming of the immense change in his
fortunes, already occupied with the means that must be taken to free
his future wife, Mark was brought back to the present.
Jenny left him to seek Assunta; and he, hearing the steamer and
guessing that Peter was at hand, hastened to the house. Silence
seemed to fill it, and, as he lifted his voice and called to Albert
Redmayne, the noise on the water ceased. No answer reached Mark, and
from the library he proceeded to the adjoining bedroom. It was
empty and he hastened out upon the veranda above the lake. But
still the book lover did not appear. A long, black vessel with all
lights out had anchored a hundred yards from the Villa Pianezzo, and
now a boat put off from the craft of the lake police and paddled to
the steps below Brendon.
At the same moment Jenny joined him.
"Where is Uncle Albert?" she asked.
"I do not know. I have called him and got no answer."
"Mark!" she cried with a voice of fear. "Is it possible--" She moved
into the house and lifted her voice. Then Brendon heard Assunta
answer and in a moment there followed a horrified exclamation from
the younger woman.
But Brendon had descended the steps to meet the approaching boat.
His mind was still in a whirl of mingled emotions. Above him, as he
steadied the boat, stood Jenny and she spoke swiftly.
"He is not in the house! Oh, come quickly if that is Mr. Ganns. My
uncle has gone across the water and my husband has not returned."
Peter, with four men, quickly landed and Brendon spoke. He could
give no details, however, and Jenny furnished them. While she and
Mark sat in the garden, guarding the front door and front gate,
behind them to the house there had come a message by boat for Mr.
Redmayne from Bellagio. Perhaps there was but one appeal powerful
enough to make Albert forget his promises or the danger that he had
been assured now threatened him; but it was precisely this demand
which had made the old man hasten away.
Assunta told them how an Italian had reached the steps in a skiff
from Bellagio; how he had called her and broken the evil news that
Signor Poggi was fallen dangerously ill; and how he sent entreaties
to his friends to see him without delay.
"Virgilio Poggi has had a fatal fall and is dying," said the
messenger. "He prays Signor Redmayne to fly to him before it is too
late."
Assunta dared not delay the message. Indeed, knowing all that this
must mean to her master, she delivered it instantly, and five
minutes after hearing the dreadful news, Albert Redmayne, in great
agony of mind, had embarked, to be rowed toward the promontory where
his friend dwelt.
Assunta declared that her master had been gone for an hour, if not
longer.
"It may be true," said Jenny, but Brendon knew too well what had
happened.
The group formed under Peter's command and he issued his directions
swiftly. He cast one look at Mark which the detective never forgot;
but none saw it save Brendon himself. Then he spoke.
"Row this boat back to the steamer, Brendon," he said, "and tell
them to take you across to Poggi as quick as may be. If Redmayne is
there, leave him there and return. But he's not there: he's at the
bottom of the lake. Go!"
Mark hastened to the boat and one of the officers who had come with
Ganns wrote a dozen words on a sheet from a notebook. With this
Brendon reached the black steamer and in another moment the vessel
disappeared at full speed under the darkness in the direction of
Bellagio.
Then Peter turned to the rest and bade them all, with Jenny,
accompany him to the dwelling room. Supper had been laid here but
the apartment was empty.
"What has happened," explained Peter, "is this: Doria has used the
only certain means of getting Albert Redmayne out of this house, and
his wife has doubtless aided him to the best of her power by
arresting the attention of my colleague whom I left in charge. How
she did it I can easily guess."
Jenny's horrified eyes flamed at him and her face grew rosy.
"How little you know!" she cried. "This is cruel, infamous! Have I
not suffered enough?"
"If I am wrong, I'll be the first to own it, ma'am," he answered.
"But I am not wrong. What has happened means that your husband will
be back to supper. That's but ten minutes to wait. Assunta, return
to the kitchen. Ernesto, hide in the garden and lock the iron gate
as soon as Doria has passed through it."
Three big men in plain clothes had these remarks translated to them
by the fourth, who was a chief of police. Then Ernesto went into the
garden, the officers took their stations, and Mr. Ganns, indicating
a chair to Jenny, himself occupied another within reach of her. Once
she had tried to leave the room, but Peter forbade it.
"Fear nothing if you're honest," he said, but she ignored him and
kept her thoughts to herself. She had grown very pale and her eyes
roamed over the strange faces around her. Silence fell and in five
minutes came the chink of the iron gate and the footfall of a man
without. Doria was singing his canzonet. He came straight into the
room, stared about him at the assembled men, then fixed his eyes
upon his wife.
"What is this?" he cried in amazement.
"Game's up and you've lost," answered Ganns. "You're a great crook!
And your own vanity is all that's beat you!" He turned quickly to
the chief of police, who showed a warrant and spoke English.
"Michael Pendean," he said, "you are arrested for the murder of
Robert Redmayne and Bendigo Redmayne."
"And add 'Albert Redmayne,'" growled Ganns. He leaped aside with
amazing agility as he spoke, for the culprit had seized the weapon
nearest his hand and hurled a heavy saltcellar from the table at
Peter's head. The mass of glass crashed into an old Italian mirror
behind Ganns and at the moment when all eyes instinctively followed
the sound, Jenny's husband dashed for the door. Like lightning he
turned and was over the threshold before a hand could be lifted to
stop him; but one in the room had watched and now he raised his
revolver. This young officer--destined for future fame--had never
taken his eyes off Doria and now he fired. He was quick but another
had been quicker, had seen his purpose and anticipated his action.
The bullet meant for Michael Pendean struck down his wife, for Jenny
had leaped into the doorway and stopped it.
She fell without a sound, whereupon the fugitive turned instantly,
abandoned his flight, ran to her, knelt and lifted her to his
breast.
He was harmless now, but he embraced a dead woman and the blood from
her mouth, as he kissed her, covered his lips. He made no further
fight and, knowing that she was dead, carried her to a couch, laid
her gently down, then turned and stretched his arms for the
handcuffs.
A moment later Mark Brendon entered from the house.
"Poggi sent no message and Albert Redmayne has not been seen at
Bellagio," he said.